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12 Days of Holiday Safety: Day 6 = Candle With Care

Wednesday, December 18, 2013 - 10:33am

When the holiday decorations go up, the potential for fires in the home goes up too. Twelve percent of home candle fires occur in December – one-and-a-half times the monthly average. December candle fires often involve combustible seasonal decorations that would not have been present at other times of the year. The top three days for home candle fires were Christmas, New Year’s Day, and Christmas Eve.
Home candle fires climbed through the 1990s but have fallen since the 2001 peak. The decline coincides with the increased popularity of battery-operated LED "flameless" candles.
If you do burn candles, make sure you…

Blow out all candles when you leave the room or go to bed. Avoid the use of candles in the bedroom and other areas where people may fall asleep; that’s where most candle fires occur.

Keep candles at least 12 inches away from anything that can burn.

Think about using flameless candles in your home. They look and smell like real candles.